NCERT Solutions For Class 8 English poem 3 - Macavity: The Mystery Cat
Orchids offers free PDF downloads of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew poem 3, "Macavity - The Mystery Cat." CBSE, one of India's most esteemed boards, is known for its balanced curriculum. The CBSE syllabus emphasizes NCERT books as they comprehensively cover the curriculum, making them widely used across the country.
Working with Poem
Read stanza 3, and then, describe Macavity in two or three sentences of your own.
Macavity is a ginger cat whose brows are lined with thought over sunken eyes. He is tall and thin and his head is highly domed. He is always wide awake, panning for his next crime even when everyone thinks he is half asleep. His coat is dusky and whiskers remain uncombed.
Read the first stanza and think.
(i) Is Macavity a cat really?
(ii) If not, who can Macavity be?
(i) No, Macavity is not a cat really.
(ii) Macavity was the creation of the author’s pen. Its actions resembled a crook, the master criminal. The cat had a cunning mind and could not be caught by the Scotland Yard Police.
Having read the poem, try to guess whether the poet is fond of cats. If so, why does he call Macavity a fiend and monster?
The poet calls Macavity the bafflement of Scotland and it seems like he is fond of cats. He praises him but calls him a ‘fiend’ and a ‘monster’ because he wanted to put light on his evil side too. He used an image of a cat to show an image of a criminal who escapes easily because a cat is sly and escapes without leaving a trace behind. The mystery that a cat beholds in its eyes also reminds us of an expert thief.
Has the poet used exaggeration for special effect? Find a few examples of it and read those lines aloud.
There are various instances in the poem where the poet has used exaggeration for special effect. It provides the poem with drama and grandeur which enhances the poem. It's super-quick, according to the poet, so fast that no one can capture it, from Scotland Yard to the flying squad. These exaggerations provide the cat with a monstrous and mysterious aura that holds the readers in awe.
Complete the following sentences.
(i) A master criminal is one who ___________.
(ii) The Scotland Yard is baffled because _____________.
(iii) ____________because Macavity moves much faster than them.
(i) can defy the law and is able to escape from the clutch of police.
(ii )Whenever they reach the scene of the crime, they cannot find Macavity.
(iii) Nobody can catch Macavity at the scene of the crime
"A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through". (Jules Verne) Which law is Macavity breaking in the light of the comment above?
Macavity is breaking the law of gravity, which pulls everything towards the earth, in the above-presented comment. No evidence is found at the crime scene about Macavity and it appears as if he vanished through thin air.
Say 'False' or 'True' for each of the following statements.
(i) Macavity is not an ordinary cat.
(ii) Macavity cannot do what a fakir can easily do.
(iii) Macavity has supernatural powers.
(iv) Macavity is well-dressed, smart and bright.
(v) Macavity is a spy, a trickster and a criminal, all rolled in one.
(i)True
(ii)False
(iii)True
(iv)False
(v)True
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